Awning-supporting frame



Oct. 7, 1930.

A. cs. ZECHER AWNING SUPPORTING FRAME Filed Jan. 9, 1929 I I {I ENTOR. 1J 1 4a- Aw I v A TTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 7 1930 U D STATESPA'TENTOFFICE ALBERT G. ZECHER, on YOLANDOQ CALIFORNIA; ASSIGNOR-TO GOLDBERG, BOWEN &

GOMIANY, OFSAN, FRANCISCO, CALIFORN A, 'A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA i 1 AWNING-SUPPORTiNG'FRAME i Application tiled January 9, 1929.'--Seria1 "no. 331,366;

My present invention relates to im- 1 proved awning frame and more particularly which isj adaptedto carrya sign-and hold the same in an operative position when the A further object of my invention is to pro- I vide an improved arrangement of support-' ingmembers which is simple, effective and one which; will not interfere with the awn l v V a a tion will be pointed out in more detail hereinafter as the description proceeds. a

Fora better understanding of my invention reference should be had to theiaccom panying drawing, whereini to frame for the roll type awning adapted to support a sign or thellike.

An object of my inventionis to. provide an improved type of support for awnings awning is both in, its openand closedpo s1t1ons. I

ing. l

Other obj ecjts and advantagesofmy inven- Figure 1 is an endelevation of an awning supported in accordance with my invention showing the awning in its closed position,

with the awning open, 3;

Figure 2 is a View simllar to Figure 1 Figure 3 is airagmentary, perspective view ofmy awning showlng various details,

a and Figure 4: is a fragmentary view, 1partially in section, of adetail of mylnventionn;

v of these receptacles 14 there is a.ride r 15. I The riders 15 are adapted to carry the nner ends of parallel extending side arms 16and 17 i which project outwardly therefrom and carry at their outer'ends a suitable frame member 18. Theparallel side arms- 16and I 17are pivoted to theri ders 15 at the points" 19 and 20 and the frame, member 1 8, sp1vand 22. It shouldbe noted'that the pivots 8 19, 20 and 21, 22 are offset from the vertical so that, 1rrespeotive of the opening of the awnf ing, the, frame member 18 will always remain in; a vertical position as will hereinafter appear I ttached tot at a point intermediate its ends, I provide a bea ringflmember 23"l1avingppins 23? pro jecting outwardly on both sides 7 thereof and engaging this hearing member 23 I' show: a

heupperparallelside arm 16 supporting-link This link 24 is pivotally secured to fthe building 10 by means oi a bracket 25 and at its lower enditis provided wlth a pair ofparallel extending elongated eyelets 26 which pass oneon eachside of the side arm 16 and over the projections or-pins 23 of the bearing member-23. i As shown in this figure of the drawing, "the weight of the side arms 16 and17andtheiramework 18 is supported entirely by'the supporting link in, cooperation with the cylindrical guideltxso that no -tension'is placed upon the awning fabric 13. The framework 18 is shown this tigureof the; drawing as sup-j porting an advertising sign27.z This sign 2 7 mayibe of any suitable construction.. It

maybe an electric sign or simplya flat sur-- face upon which the advertising maybe painted; A v V .Byrefe In Figure 1, 10 designatesthe side'of a building having the usual recess 11 intowhich awnings of the "roll type are mounted. Mounted within the recess 11 upon suitable *trunnions I show an awning roll 12- which is adapted to'carryawningiabric 13; Se' cured to-the side of the building 10and be low the ends of theawning roll 12,"Iprovide a pair 'of vertically extending cylindrical *receptacles 14 and slidablyjmountedinjeach that Wh'enthe awning is closed, theparallel extendingiarms 16 and17 will project; up-

Wardly substantiallyparallelwitheachother V p a [same time carry the supportingframe 18 vto I and with theside ofthebuilding {and at the a position where it; will support, the sign Q in a j'prefectly. I normal and upright position v whereit will be visible. In connection with this showing, it i should I be noted that the ring now to Figure 2,it will be seen eave-28 against whichzthe si e n27 engages so that whenthe awning is closed,. the awning roll willbe protected from the weather. It

will also be seen fro nan inspection of figure of the drawingfthatrwhen the awn ng is inthis position the weight of the side arms 16, and 17 a-nd the framework 18 is supported entirely bythe cylindrical guide 14 and that all ;Weight has been removed, from the recessfll is provided with an: overhanging .case of a wind storm.

porting link 24;, the forked ends of this supporting link, by reason of their elongated eyelets, having permitted the bearing member 23 with its outward projections or pins 23 to slide upwardly within the opening of the eyelets.

In connection with th cylindrical guide member 14, reference should be had to Figure 4 wherein it will be seen that this guide member is supported upon the side wall of the building by means of end pieces 29 and 30 and that it is provided with a slot ext-ending throughout its length through which a portion of the rider15 extends .outwardly,.

the rider 15 being provided with a cylindrical base portion of dimensions substantially equal to the interior of the cylindrical support ing member 1% so that it will slide freely therein. In the ends of'this guide member 14 I have provided springs 31 and 32 which are arranged respectively in the top and bottom thereof. The spring 31 is shown as mounted upon an adjustable screw 33 so that it'can be adjusted for the purpose of leveling the awning support so that a uniform tension will be placed uponthe awning fabric 13 when the awning is fully opened.

By referring now to Figure 3, it will be seen that the awning roll 12 is provided with the usual operating mechanism which comprises a set of gears 34, a shaft 35, and a crank mechanism 36 by means of which the roll is rotated for the purpose of winding and unwinding the awning. This view of the drawing also very clearly shows the additional feature of my invention in the provision of a brace or bracket 3? at the outer ends of the parallel members 17 which extends diagonally therebetween and the frame 1nem- "ber 18. The point of attachment of the diagonal member 37 with the frame 18 is provided with a hinge 38'and the function of this brace is to prevent lateral swinging of the awning in the event of pressure being eX- erted in this direction thereupon as in the The frame member 18 is here shown as provided. with L-shaped end members 39 between .which'laterally eX- tending members 40 and ll extend. The member 41 is preferably of angle iron with its root projecting inwardly so that it will form a step upon which the sign 27 may be mounted. The awning is shown as secured to the frame 18 adjacent the member 40 by means of an additional laterally extending member 42 which, for the purpose of facilitating the securing of the awning thereto, is preferably of wood or like material.

The operation of my device is as follows: It will be assumed that the awning is extended as shownin Figures-1 and 3 and that the operator is about to roll the same up into its closed position. By turning thecrank 36 the roll 12 will be rotated so as. to recoil the awning fabric 13. 'During the initial movement of the awning fabric, the weight of the parallel extending side members 16, 17, the frame member 18, and sign 2? will be carried by the supporting link 24 and, as a result, the rider 15 will move downwardly within the cylindrical guide 1% until it contacts with the spring 32 in the low 1' end thereof. After the spring 32 is compressed to its maximum degree, the weight will then be transferred to this spring and the eyelets on the forked ends of the link 24 will slide down over the projections on the bearing member 23 where it will assume a position substantially as shown in Figure 2, the entire weight of the parallel extending side arms 16 and 17, the frmework 18, and the sign 27 being then carried upon the spring 32 within the cylindrical guide 14. Upon referring to Figure 2, it will be seen that by reason of the displacement of the pivot points 19 and 20 upon the rider 15, the parallel side members will remain parallel in their uppermostposition and at the same time coir tinue to support the s n in normal and operative position. .Vhen the awning is completely closed, as shown in this figure o he drawing, it will be seen that the only strains placed upon the awning fabric will be those required to maintain the awning in its u permost position, the weight of the frame being carried substantially entirely upon the spring 32 within the cylindrical guides 14.

The roll 12 is journaled at its ends in supporting brackets 12 by means of double row of ball bearings 12. This considerably reduces the friction, and pernzits of comparatively easy operation of the awning, even with the added weight of the gn.

It will be noted that the upper angle bar 40, forming a part of the front frame, has one of its flanges turned inwardly, and to this inturned flange the awningcloth is secured. The lower angle bar a1 has one of its flanges turned outwardly, which out-turned flange forms a support for the sign 27. This greatly simplifies the construction of the front frame, and facilitates attaching the awning cloth and the sign thereto.

lVhile I have shown the preferred form of my invention as now known to me, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in its construction without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

, Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A support for roll type awnings comprising a frame adapt-ed to be attached to the end of the awning, a pair of parallel extemling side arms pivotally connected. at the ends of said frame, vertically disposed guides mounted upon a supporting structure at the ends of said awning, riders adapted to slide freely in said guides and carry the inner ends of said side arms, and a memberv pivotally connected to the supporting structurehaving a sliding connection with said side arms and cooperating therewith to support said frame independently of the awning when the latter is fully extended.

2. In a support for awnings of the roll type, a the combination of an awning roll adapted to carry the awning fabric, a frame for supporting the extended end of the awning comdescribed, the combination ofasign support I allel outwardly extending side arms adapted ing frame adapted to carry the outer end of V the awning, a pair of parallel extending side arms pivotally connected tosaid' frame, and

rider slidably positioned in said tubular member and having ears projecting through said slot to pivotally receive the inner ends of said parallel bars, and spring means at each end of said tubular member forming a cushion for said rider. i V

7 A foldable awning, includin a front frame, Vertically spaced parallel ars pivotally connected to eachhend of said'front frame, and a guide for the inner ends of saidparallel bars, comprising a vertically disposed tubular member formed with a slot, a rider slidably positioned in said tubular memberand having ears projecting throughsaid slotitopivotally receive the inner ends of said parallel bars, spring means at each end of said tubular member forming a cushion for said rider, and a suspension link pivotallycon- I ;nected at its upper end to a supporting wall and having a slotted connection at its lower diate the ends of the latter.

a bracket member extending diagonally from i one of said parallel side arms and pivotally connected to said framework at a point removed from the pivotal connection of said side arm to said frame, whereby lateral movement of said frame be prevented. n y

4. In an awning supportofthe character described, thecombination of'a pair of par-,

upon said side arms will to support theflouter end of the awning, a

rider uponwhich said parallel arms are pivotally connected, a vertically disposed guide for said rider, a member pivotally mounted upon a supporting structure adapted to hold said parallel side arms'in theirextended position, a stop at the upper end of said guide I adaptedto support a-sign and means for ma1n taining'the bar in position to hold the sign against which'said rider will abut when the 45 side arms areextended, and meanswhereby said stop may be adjustedto effect a leveling of the side arms with respect to each other.

5. A foldable awning having a front frame,

said frame comprising longitudinally extending anglebars in vertically spaced relation,

the upper one having one flange directed in-' "wardly andthe'lower one having one flange J 1 directed outwardly, an awning cloth secured to the inturned flange of the upperbar, said outturned flange, of the lower barbeing a vertical in both the folded and'the extended 1 positions'of the awning.

6. A foldable awning, including a front frame, vertically spaced parallel bars pivotally connected to each endof said front framedxnd a guide for the inner ends ofsaid jparallel bars, comprising a vertically dis posed tubular member formed with a slot, a

end withone of said parallel bars -inter me- ALBERT G. z E oHER. i 

